1. Technology, Research in Education: Current Trends in DL
Panel Presentation
National Conference on Science, Technology and the Law – November 5, 2006
Susan Zucker, Ph.D.
Director Technology and Distance Education at the NCSTL

2. Intention Snapshot of Computer Forensics
Discuss trends in and prevalence of DL
Explore learner preferences as expressed by adult learning theory
Reference NCSTL as an example

3. Computer Forensics
1980’s - new generation of crimes use computers to commit them: computer-aided terrorism, espionage, bank and business fraud, identity theft
Increase due to
Development of Internet
Sheer number of Internet users
Development of high performance computing – 41.5 trillion operations/second
U.S. Sales in computer-aided engineering software and services have topped $2.1 billion

4. Computer Forensics
Community and comprehensive colleges and universities and Police Academies offer forensic computing programs on undergraduate and graduate level + grad certificates
Students learn to retrieve and analyze evidence from any digital source: computer systems, hardware, Internet data, cellular phones, PDAs, digital cameras, faxes
3 components:
acquiring the evidence while ensuring the integrity is preserved
authenticating the validity of the extracted data
analyzing the data while keeping its integrity

5. DL Defined Distance between teacher and learner USDLA definition:
“The acquisition of knowledge and skills through mediated information and instruction, encompassing all technologies and other forms of learning at a distance.”

6. Web-based Learning vs. Distance Learning
Web-based learning is distance learning but distance learning is not necessarily web-based.
Distance learning incorporates many modalities.

7. Rationale for www.ncstl.org
NCSTL is developing a distance education program in forensic science education for the civil and criminal justice communities
Informed by
Adult learning theory
Distance learning theory
Trends in learning technologies

8. Adult learning theory
Adults tend to want teachers to teach not serve as facilitators … but the trend is changing
Adults consider learning important when it relates to their job or other interest
Adults want to put new learning to work immediately
Adults want their contributions to be meaningful

9. Distance Learning Theory
Incorporates many theories that constitute sound DL
Didactic instruction
Constructivism
Reflection
Metacognition
Cognitivist learning
Critical thinking
Conversation theory
Socratic dialogue

10. Technologies used for DL
Web-based
Live web streaming
Podcasts
Wikis *
Blogs *
Archived presentations
Websites designed for DL delivery
Video on demand
Content Management Systems (CMS) *
Live e-Learning: HorizonLive, Elluminate *
Web-based presentation software: Cast:Stream, Mediasite Live RL, WebEx, and MS Producer *
Non web-based
Videoconferencing *
Teleconferencing *
CD-ROMS, DVD-ROMS
Telecourses
Audio and video tapes
* Interactive technologies

11. Online classrooms also have…
Asynchronous tools - discussion boards
Synchronous sessions with/without VoIP
Collaborative tools – discussion boards, blogs, wikis, journals
Collaborative tools – enhanced with voting, visualization, hypertext capabilities to build cognitive maps

12. As a result of DL, shifts are observed
Teacher role changing
Solo faculty to instructional team
Focused testing to holistic assessment
CMS quizzing for low stakes – automated objective grading
Discussion boards for critical thinking and developing familiarity w concepts and problem-solving
Changes the testing course/environment to a community of learners
Learners become sources and creators of customized content

13. UF – Forensics Online – Distance Learning Award … an example
Masters degrees in
forensic DNA and serology
forensic chemistry
toxicology
general forensic science
Grad certificate options
Uses CMS

14. NCSTL … a case study NCSTL surveyed their diverse constituency
Identified learners
who they are
their skill level with technology
their preferences on receiving online learning

15. The Survey Demographics collected Determined
Factors that impact the learning environment Example: hardware capabilities of target audience
Target audience time and interest and skill level Example: what learners regard as important and necessary subjects

16. Learner Preferences Summary:
in-person - characteristic of most adults – social and networking opportunities
web-delivered
DVDs
other asynchronous media - portability, convenience, time- and cost-effectiveness
Over half indicated that … they wanted interaction
with others in the same class … synchronously or
asynchronously

17. Learner responses and NCSTL
Responses assisted NCSTL in making most of the initial determinations for the web-based learning program
Hence, production of DVDs and web-based modules
Law 101
Lecture series each year
Quarterly newsletter
Commitment to incorporating newest technologies

18. NCSTL